


Flavors of Ice Cream

by hydrangeamaiden



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Ice Cream, Parent-Child Relationship, The Pale King is a Good Parent (Hollow Knight)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29155737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hydrangeamaiden/pseuds/hydrangeamaiden
Summary: Three instances of the Pale King eating ice cream with his children.
Relationships: Hornet & The Pale King (Hollow Knight), The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel & The Pale King, The Knight & The Pale King (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 47
Kudos: 91





	1. Mint Chocolate Chip

Ghost had gotten it into their head that if they ever met the Pale King, he wouldn’t care a pin for them. He left them in the Abyss and did not come back. Unlike Howl and Hornet, they did not grow up with his love and affection. They were alone for their childhood, and that was his fault. What else were they to assume? Such was their anxiety over the matter that they avoided meeting with him, preferring to hide every time he came over for a visit.

This was all well and good, at first. They always had an excuse to be somewhere else. But as visits grew more frequent, and there came talks of him moving from the Ancient Basin, Ghost started to feel the walls close in on them. If they continue to hide themselves in this way, they’ll end up estranging their siblings, too. Simply explaining themselves would’ve helped, but they were never much of a talker.

They do, however, exclaim in shock when they see their father in the living area. He does not speak, but inclines his head and gazes at the little Vessel with interest. The last time Ghost had seen him, they had beaten his dead body. The ugly crack they gave him is still there, and they wonder if it hurts.

No, no. Ghost shakes their head. Why is he here, and not their siblings? Now that they’ve been seen, he is no longer just an idea to be avoided. They can’t just run and hide anymore. Their legs are frozen.

The Pale King—their father—breaks the silence: “The other two have gone out.”

Betrayal crashes against Ghost. Howl and Hornet left them here, without telling them that the Pale King would be coming over. Granted, Ghost was resistant to any sort of communication, but this still going too far. They rub their fingertips together anxiously, fully expecting something horrible to happen. Something like being scolded for beating him with their nail and stealing his half of the Kingsoul. Disappointment for being an imperfect Vessel, or asking why they didn’t just try harder to leave the Abyss.

Instead, he stands up and asks, “Are you hungry?”

It’s the same voice they’ve heard from the glowing tablets around Hallownest: wispy and deep, as if being blown about by the wind. Ghost has lost count of how many times they’ve pressed their shell to the cold stones. After recovering their memories, they couldn’t bring themselves to do it anymore. All they could hear was him listing qualifications they did not have.

That same voice now says, “I’ve brought a present for you.”

Ghost’s siblings were the only ones who gave them presents. Being naturally curious, they follow him without a second thought. In the kitchen, he takes a container of something from the ice box: a frozen substance that he dishes into a bowl. Without a word, he slides it across the table to them, along with a spoon.

What could this be? A new way to consume Soul? But it’s minty green, and they sense no magic from it. Ghost prods with their spoon, while the Pale King fixes up a bowl for himself. Their eyes meet, and he nods as if to say ‘go on’. So, in imitation of their father, they dig in.

That first spoonful is fireworks going off in their mouth. The flavor is minty yet sweet, with a hint of chocolate. Creamy, smooth, and perfectly cold. They shovel more of it into their mouth until it’s dribbling down their chin. The Pale King reaches over to wipe their face with a napkin, and Ghost turns red from embarrassment.

“Is it good?” The Pale King chuckles at Ghost’s enthusiastic nod. His laughter renews that warm feeling they used to get by listening to the stone tablets. They are taken aback by their own reaction, giving pause to put their fingers over their smiling mouth.

One moment can’t erase the years of anxiety and abandonment they’ve suffered. There’s no coming back from that, and it’s too early to tell if they can have a real relationship with their father. But they have to admit: this isn’t bad at all.


	2. Strawberry

When the Pale King says he’ll buy Hornet whatever she likes, she takes it very seriously. As a result, their shopping trip to the City of Tears lasts almost two hours. Her father waits patiently as she pores over fine silk and velvet. He nods in solemn agreement at each book or trinket she holds up. Hornet has always been a practical girl, but today, she indulges herself in tiny baubles that she absolutely does not need. A shopkeeper convinces her into buying ribbons for her horns.

Then, an ice cream parlor catches her eye. Hornet forgets the weight of the bags looped over her arms, and makes a beeline for the entrance. She hasn’t had ice cream—or any other fancy food—since the fall of Hallownest.

“Father, let’s stop for a break,” she suggests, trying to play it cool. But it’s hard to keep the excited tremor out of her voice. To her relief, the Pale King looks similarly thrilled. It would be embarrassing if she were the only one.

They take their seats by the window, giving them a good view of the plaza. Shoppers rush by under umbrellas or with their coats over their heads, as if they didn’t think it would rain today. In the City of Tears, it’s impossible to not get at least a little wet. Hornet hangs her umbrella by the door; the bright red vinyl stands out among the fashionable blue and silver.

“I will order.” The Pale King puts up a hand before Hornet can say anything. “You want strawberry, right?”

Hornet rolls her eyes. “You shouldn’t use your Foresight to make decisions for others. I’ll go up with you.”

Faced by the containers of colorful ice cream, Hornet is indeed drawn to the classic strawberry. And then the cherry. And the black raspberry, the honey and toffee, the melon flavor…

Hornet tries to think back to the last time she had ice cream. Her early childhood memories are foggy at best, but she manages to come up with a mundane scene: her and the Hollow Knight at the dining table, each presented with a single scoop of dark chocolate that had her begging for seconds. The Hollow Knight reacted with the same indifference to everything presented to them, but Hornet knew that they were secretly delighted.

In Deepnest, after trading began with Hallownest in earnest, ice cream and other such fancy desserts became extremely popular. All such frivolities were forgotten once the Infection took over, and production stopped once the Weavers began preparations to leave Hallownest. They stopped making a lot of things, really, to the point of entrusting most of their silk stores to the White Palace for safekeeping. Her mother would’ve thrown a fit if she…

“Ma’am, are you ready to order?” asks the earwig behind the counter. Hornet, having made her decision, nods gravely.

When she returns to the table, the Pale King looks rather smug. “I knew you would choose strawberry.”

“And the other flavors?” Hornet had ended up with a triple scoop, crammed together in the largest-size cup they had. She went with all fruit flavors this time: strawberry, melon, and tangerine. It looks like she took an ice cream scoop to the rainbow, and her mouth waters just looking at it. With little fanfare, she digs right in.

“I did not need my Foresight to assume you would want more than one. Do you want to know all the possible combinations?” He asked it the way a teacher might, with a knowing glint in his eyes. Hornet rolls her eyes. Her father gets excited over the strangest things. That might be why he was so suited for the micromanaging duties of a king. Speaking of which…

“Why does no one recognize you?” Hornet suddenly realizes. The Pale King is ancient history as far as Hallownest is concerned, but he is still known among historians and scholars. Though he is no longer the kingdom’s ruler, the architecture still bears his likeness.

“A trick of the light.” The Pale King flutters his wings in demonstration. “To everyone else, I am simply another Weaver. The commotion it would cause if I were to reveal myself...”

He has a point. If Hornet got that kind of attention, she would dive into a funnel web and never come out. It seems that she has inherited that kind of shyness from her father. She can’t help but ask, “Do you ever miss it?”

“Miss what?”

“I don’t know...” Hornet shrugs, suddenly feeling silly. “Being a leader.”

The Pale King shakes his head, looking almost repulsed. “Look where my leadership got us.”

That was fair. Not everyone had Hornet’s perspective, either: some of her surviving siblings who had not grown up in the Palace, Ghost included, were struggling to warm up to their father. But at least things were improving: this new Hallownest is slowly filling with life. Its remaining gods were not interested in causing trouble.

She wonders how the two of them appear to onlookers. Just a normal family on a shopping trip. This peaceful moment somehow exists in the same life as all of the horrors they’ve endured.

“By the way,” she asks, “Are you really okay with plain vanilla?”

“Yes.” It’s only a single scoop, but he’s really taking his time. He always was a slow eater. Hornet, on the other hand, has a habit of wolfing down her food. She has already polished off her bowl, and is considering seconds. “If I recall correctly, this was the first flavor you ever had. Do you remember?”

“Mm.” Hornet shrugs, but a blush is creeping up her neck. Her memories from toddler-hood were embarrassing. “Sort of.”

Undeterred, the Pale King launches into his account of the event. “You were so excited that you shoved your face into the cone. Then, you got brain freeze from eating too fast and started crying. You were so shocked. It was _adorable_.”

She’s sure her face is bright red now, and all she can squeak out is, “Why?”

“Babies have such exaggerated reactions to everything,” says the King, which is enough of an explanation. “Of course, once you calmed down, you immediately wanted more. You had the kitchen staff running ragged every time you came over.”

Hornet is quick to defend herself. “I was a growing girl.”

“And you’ve certainly grown into a fine young lady.” The sincerity of his words is kind of a lot, but it’s not bad. She just doesn’t know how to respond. And she doesn’t have to: her family is aware that she sometimes struggles to express herself.

Hornet makes a little ‘hm’ noise and gazes longingly at the counter. When they’re finished, she’ll get a cone for the road. Vanilla, this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> doting parent pk is the Best


	3. Chocolate

Of all the pleasures in Hollow’s life, ice cream is definitely one of their favorites. They never got to control which desserts they got back at the White Palace. Now, every time their father asks if they’d like a snack, they immediately clamor for that cold, sweet treat. Nothing is stopping them from getting it themselves, but they like it when other bugs give them things. They don’t have to just stand there and blankly accept their food, they can be _excited_ over it.

They are far from enthused today, when the Pale King hands them a cup of green ice cream. It doesn’t look like sherbet, and it has nuts in it. Why would anyone put _nuts_ in ice cream? It’s going to disrupt the smooth, creamy texture. They stick their tongue out at it and slide it back across the table.

“How old are you, again?” the Pale King asks with an incredulous look. Hollow burns with embarrassment.

‘ _Do we have chocolate?’_ they sign. The Pale King tilts his head in confusion, and Hollow repeats their question slower.

“Ah. Yes, but you have that every day. Do you not want to try something new?”

At this, Hollow shrugs. They didn’t think it was a problem that they liked to eat the same things every day. Chocolate is a reliable flavor. It’s sweet and rich, perfect in small doses to savor each day. Does that bother their father? Does he think they’re being spoiled? Feeling childish and spoiled, they duck their head and sign an apology. This the Pale King understands it immediately; Hollow is constantly using it.

“You needn’t apologize. Eat whatever you want,” he reassures them, and takes the green ice cream for himself. “Truth be told, I have never had this flavor, either. I shall give it a try, first.”

Hollow, already at the ice box, looks over their shoulder to watch him eat. As with everything else, he gives no outward reaction to the flavor, texture, or temperature. He could get brain freeze or burn his tongue, and he wouldn’t do more than go ‘hm’ and carry on. Keeping such a straight face for everything must take a lot of work, or else Hollow inherited it from him. He was, after all, completely fooled on the subject of their supposed ‘purity’.

So they get their scoop of chocolate, and pick away at it with a spoon that is comically tiny in their large hand. At the first bite, they trill happily. They no longer care that it might be weird to be so picky. They have all the time in the world to try new things.

Then, the Pale King holds his spoon up to them. Hollow squints. They don’t want it...but if the Pale King wants them to try it so badly, they’ll do it for him. It doesn’t taste terrible, to their surprise. It’s bland, actually, just on the verge of tasting like something. They recognize the barely-there taste as pistachios. This ice cream has less flavor than they did when they were born from the Abyss. The two take turns dipping their spoons into the bowl, in search of _something_. Having something with the texture of ice cream taste like pistachios feels wrong. Nuts are supposed to be crunchy.

When the bowl is empty, the two of them look at each other. “I cannot say if it was good or bad.”

Hollow shrugs, and waves their hand in a ‘so-so’ motion. They then return to the ice box and refill both their bowls with chocolate. There’s no conversation to be had after that. The Pale King rarely talks while eating, both now and when they were a hatchling. His silence makes meals and snacks drag on forever. Hollow doesn’t mind. They don’t talk, either, and they’ll take any time they can get with him. The King was at first completely neutral to their frequent presence, but eventually had to explain that he wanted them to try being more independent from him.

Hollow, of course, took it the wrong way and became incredibly upset. It took two agonizing days to smooth things over with each other. All of his guilt, and all of their pent-up emotions. Now here they are, eating together like normal. Sometimes they still worry that they’ve done something grievously offensive, despite his patient reassurances. These kinds of anxieties have always been there, but _She_ exacerbated them.

When their thoughts start to wander in that direction, they sharply remind themselves that they’re safe. They believe themselves now when they say that. They’ve been broken in every way a bug can be broken, but they crossed the finish line. They made it. After they finish eating, they’ll go take a long nap. And when they wake up, he’ll still be there, and their siblings will have gotten home. If there’s enough pistachio ice cream left, they’ll watch as Hornet and Ghost struggle over the flavor as they did.

“They have wasabi ice cream.” There’s a hint of suggestion in the Pale King’s voice, and Hollow playfully bats him on the shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [trips and falls] ahhh I spilled my anxiety and autism all over this chapter
> 
> I tried pistachio-flavored ice cream once, and got the same sense of wrongness as when I drink unsweetened almond milk. It's weird when the flavor and texture don't match :\
> 
> EDIT 3/2/21 - Added the chapter name! I was sleepy when I posted this, so I forgot

**Author's Note:**

> One time my friend asked if I had any fluff of the Pale King for her to read, and I was like yeah of course!...wait no I don't. Everything involving him is ANGST. So I'm writing fluff now. Please allow a warm, fuzzy feeling to embrace your heart


End file.
